Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister back to the House and congratulate her on her recent personal news. I wish her and her family good health and happiness for the future.

On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group, I support this motion. As the Minister said, it is good to see that we are not being led by the EU on this. We are doing it ourselves and leading the way with legislation in this important area. That is good to see. Any additional measures that can be taken to protect women have to be taken. Unfortunately, it is a women's issue, but those responsible for violence against women are predominantly men. We men need to reflect on that. To use the Minister's words, we need to ensure there is zero tolerance of domestic violence. It is a major issue which affects the physical, emotional, social and financial well-being of individuals and their families. It came more to the fore during the Covid pandemic when people were hemmed in. My heart goes out to those women who were caught in such circumstances and felt helpless.

I commend the Minister on the work she has done in this area with colleagues from my party, specifically Senator Lisa Chambers who has done work in this area. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan issued a document earlier today. It is not reactionary but would give us direction relating to violence against women and how as a society we should respond to that.

The most important issue we have to bear in mind when it comes to violence against women is the provision of refuge. While we are doing good work on refuge centres, as the Minister knows, there are nine counties in this State that have no safe house or refuge for women who find themselves in this position. My home county, Monaghan, and County Cavan, are two counties where there is no refuge centre. I came across a case recently where a lady simply had nowhere to go locally. The issue has been compounded by the lack of housing and the arrival into our country of Ukrainian people. While we are, rightly, doing our best to help them, their arrival has exacerbated the lack of accommodation. We have a crisis due to the lack of accommodation. I commend the members of Monaghan County Council who have come forward to offer a site for a refuge centre in Monaghan, which would also cover County Cavan. I have met officials from Monaghan County Council about the issue a number of times. I commend the members of the council and the executive who have stepped forward to offer help with providing a suitable site, or perhaps even a building, that would help women in this crisis situation.

Work has been done to identify gaps in the provision of refuge centres. Will the Minister comment on the progress of that work and the review? When it is hoped that will be concluded? The Government made a commitment. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, committed that he will not be found wanting once this review is complete. Money is required to provide such a centre. I am sure the Government, of which the Minister is a member, will not be found wanting. It is a critically important issue which is more acutely felt due to the chronic lack of housing, not just in cities like Dublin and Cork but across the country.

I would like to see progress on this issue and I would welcome comments from the Minister if she has an opportunity to contribute at the end of the debate.It is about sending the message out to people that as far as we are concerned, and speaking as a man, there is absolutely no justifiable reason women should have to tolerate, or even live in fear of, possible violence against them. That is a message that not just I but every man in the country has to look in the mirror and do all they can to ensure there is zero tolerance when it comes to women living in fear of what might happen to them at the hands of any man.